Council Minutes

Minutes/Committee of the Whole
Monday, September 25, 2006 – 7:00 p.m.
The City Council met as the Committee of the Whole on Monday, September 25, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall with Vice President Glassheim presiding. Present at roll call were: Council Members Brooks, McNamara, Glassheim, Christensen, Bakken, Kreun. Present - 6; Absent: Gershman - 1.

Vice President Glassheim announced that when addressing the committee to please complete a speaker card and give it to the staff at the control panel and when called upon to come forward to use the microphone for the record, and advised that the meeting is being televised live and taped for later broadcast.

Vice President Glassheim stated that over the weekend there was an open house for the new Grand Forks County Correctional Center and was a great opportunity for the public to see this new facility. He continued that this project was a collaboration of a number of Country and City departments and staff and congratulated them on the great work that they have done and shows how well the City and County can work together.

Glassheim stated that this week Police Department bike officers will be recognized by the Grand Forks Optimist Club for their work in the community and in particular for their assistance with the 3rd grade bike rodeos held in schools each spring. He continued that this shows another way that these officers are able to reach out into the community and interact with citizens in a positive way.

Glassheim stated that there will be a meeting on the Railroad and Quiet Zones on Wednesday at Noon at City Hall and all who are interested are encouraged to attend. He added that details of this meeting and all other city meetings scheduled for this week, including any agendas, are available on the City of Grand Forks Website, as well as on Channel 2.

2.1 Presentation by JLG Architects on Public Safety Training Facility.

Lonnie Laffen of JLG Architects gave a brief presentation of the facility which included goals, potential phases and estimated costs. The facility would be a joint collaboration and would house the Mosquito Control Program, both storage and operational needs; storage and training for the Police Department; and storage, training and response needs for the Fire Department. Laffen gave brief information on potential ways that the project could be done in phases and approximate cost comparison between completing the project in phases versus completing it as one project.

Glassheim commented that this was meant tonight as an informational presentation and that this had been discussed prior at the Service/Safety Standby Committee and that this would be returning there for more discussion before coming back to the Committee of the Whole and City Council for any formal discussion and vote. Kreun added that at the Committee meeting this Thursday they will discuss when to schedule this project on a committee agenda and then later this will come back to COW on staff report with committee recommendation.

Christensen stated that as this is a large project and still some questions on operational costs and may also have some other implications on land use in the future that would hope that in addition to the work at the committee level, would also encourage to have a full discussion of this project at a Joint Meeting with the Finance/Development Standby Committee or at a Work Session so that all the Council can receive the same information and get all their questions answered. He continued that he has a number of questions on how we are currently meeting some of the training needs that these departments have and what additional benefit can be gained from the new training facility that will be available. He also expressed a concern over the siting and that this may lead to a way of locating a fire station in the industrial park and not sure that is most need, since all buildings there are sprinkled already and to reach residential on the western edge will have issues with railroad crossing and also has concern that this uses up rest of available land in industrial park and curious to find out what plans are for future industrial development and what potential long-term costs this may have such as need to complete a north – south road (48th) to connect to 32nd Ave S and was costly project last time looked at it and have to also consider land acquisition, etc as other costs to consider. He added that the EDC has also expressed a concern over future industrial park availability and like to make sure that we have asked all questions and gotten all details of potential impact from siting this facility hear so no surprises later.

Brooks commented that he would like to see this project move forward for discussion and would like to see list of questions and request for information put together for staff to work on as soon as possible so that we can hear the answers and make a decision on this project so know where we are going and staff can proceed accordingly.

Glassheim asked that Duquette work with the standby committee chairs to compile a list of questions for staff to research and also to schedule a full discussion meeting for this item.

Kreun commented that will work with Finance Committee and Duquette. Kreun added that in regards to the site location being proposed, this piece of land was actually transferred back to the City from the JDA because it was not deemed suitable for industrial development and that is how started considering it for this project.

Brooks encouraged that he would like to see a formal discussion and decision on the project, and not drag it out for too long.

Christensen proposed that he, Kreun, Schmisek and Duquette meet and work up list of questions for staff and then set a meeting date, possibly on a Wednesday with a couple of hours set aside for discussion of this project.

2.2 Public Hearing and Resolution authorizing the Refunding of Senior Housing Revenue Bonds (4000 Valley Square Project) on behalf of Valley Memorial Homes.

Greg Anderson, CEO of Valley Memorial Homes, stated that in 1997 bonds had been issued to finance the 4000 Valley Square facility and that they are now requesting to refund those bonds and that if approved the refunding will result in a $100,000 per year saving to Valley Memorial Homes.

2.3 Bids for Project No. 6039, watermain on N. 48th Street (1600-1800 blocks)

There were no comments.

2.4 Encroachment agreement with Viking Gas.

This item was pulled from the agenda.

2.5 Appointment to MPO Executive Policy Board.

There were no comments.

2.6 Appointment to Special Assessment Commission.

There were no comments.

2.7 Appointment to Civil Service Commission.

Kreun commented that we appreciate all the volunteers that generously share their time to serve on all the various boards and commissions.

2.8 Matter of approval of GF-EGF MPO Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan.

Earl Haugen, Executive Director of MPO, stated that recent legislation passed makes available additional federal transit dollars for either municipalities or private agencies if a Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan is approved. He continued that these programs serve elderly, people with disabilities, and low income and can be used with a match of 80/20 for capital expenditures and 50/50 for operational costs. Haugen explained that a stakeholder group comprised of area agencies that serve these populations has been meeting with the MPO to draft a plan, which also contains some potential projects that the funding could enable. He added that all that is being requested at this time is approval of the draft plan and that then more discussion would take place on projects and recommendations would then come back to Committee of the Whole and City Council for discussion and approval. He reiterated that even for agencies to have access to apply for these funds the Council must approve a transportation plan.

Bobby Vogel, 2500 14th Ave S #11, addressed the group and stated that he would suggest also including some input from direct consumers in the planning process, as there may be some potential users that do not have an affiliation with an agency, or may not get their message considered if not brought out by the agencies that are involved.

Haugen responded that the FTA information referenced participation by agencies and did not include any information on consumer input, but that is something that the MPO could consider adding as the process moves forward.

2.9 2007 CDBG, HOME, and ADDI Programs.

Greg Hoover, Urban Development Director, stated that each year the City of Grand Forks allocates CDBG, HOME and ADDI funds, including bricks and mortar designations, and that we are at a point where we have made proposed funding recommendations and need to open a 30-day public comment period and set a public hearing date. He stated that bricks and mortar applications have been solicited and reviewed by the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) and the rankings were discussed at the September 20, 2006 Finance Development Standby Committee and the next step is to call for a public comment period on these allocations on October 2 with a public hearing to be held on November 6.

Hoover continued that the committee did make two changes in the staff recommendation and that was to decrease the allocation to the St. Vincent de Paul food/thrift storage project from $90,000 to $45,000 and to increase the Shelter for the Homeless (aka the Mission) bathroom upgrade project from $108,700 to $153,700 and that the remaining recommendations were left at their original amount. The group discussed that be increasing the allocation to the Shelter for the Homeless it should provide them with enough funding to fully complete the project on all three floors and that there are usually deobligated funds that become available each year and that could be used to complete the funding for the St. Vincent de Paul project.

Christensen inquired whether these recommendations would be advertised as a part of the notification of the public comment period. Hoover stated that they would be. Christensen replied that perhaps should make final recommended changes on at October 2 meeting, so that publication would include those changes so all would be aware. Hoover commented that changes can be made in the allocations through November 6 when the public hearing is held and he would recommend that no changes be made until that time, as some of these projects will have more information coming in throughout the next 30 days and may affect any final changes in the allocations. Brooks clarified that we could make changes in the allocations now or could wait until the public hearing. Hoover stated that is correct, but his recommendation is to wait until November. Christensen stated that his concern is that all entities know the potential change that could affect the amount that they are approved for and that some may get wrong information if wait until November to make the changes. Hoover stated that typically there are deobligated funds that become available and should be able to cover any amount shifted away from an agency and would also know more on this by the public hearing.

Kreun inquired why not all people voted on all projects. Hoover stated that if someone in the CAC was serving on a board for one of the agencies they could not vote in regards to that agency.

3. Information Items.

There were none.

4. Citizen Requests.

There were none.

5. City Administrator Comments.

There were none.

6. Mayor and Council Member Comments.

McNamara commented that he had attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the UND Student Wellness Center. He stated that it is a great facility and congratulated the students of the university for their decision to support the addition of this facility to campus.

7. Adjournment.

Motion to adjourn by Bakken, second by Brooks. Aye: All. Nay: None. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.


Respectfully Submitted,

John M. Schmisek
City Auditor